Appearing now in the special exhibit gallery
through September 30, 2008

Michigan Historical Museum, Lansing

"Anything photographed,
anywhere, anytime."

—R. C. Leavenworth's slogan

Using a horse-drawn darkroom, R. C. Leavenworth started out photographing lumbering and mining camps in northern Michigan. In 1919, he moved to Lansing to document the Capital City's transformation into an automobile manufacturing center.

For more than a century, Leavenworth Photography has captured images that tell the story of industry, business and social life in Lansing. With subjects as diverse as street scenes, car parts, labor strikes, vaudeville troupes and football games, you may agree that Leavenworth's slogan built his legacy.

Picture Man is sponsored by:

Archives of Michigan
Friends of Michigan History

Admission is free of charge. For more information, please send us an e-mail or telephone (517) 373-3559; TDD, (517) 373-1592.

The Michigan Historical Museum—flagship of the Michigan Historical Museum System—is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo Street, Lansing. The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Here's more information on how to find us.

Updated 06/26/2008

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
Use and Reproduction Information [PDF]
Contact us with your question or comment about this page.